


Twenty-First Century

by starandrea



Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies)
Genre: Gay Rights, M/M, Mutant Rights, Old Activists
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-04
Updated: 2017-09-04
Packaged: 2018-12-23 16:44:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11993838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starandrea/pseuds/starandrea
Summary: In some states, the legalization of gay marriage and mutant marriage happened simultaneously.  Charles didn’t have any plans until Mystique came home for the wedding and found Erik still waiting.  (Story inspiration by noxelementalist.)





	Twenty-First Century

**Author's Note:**

  * For [noxelementalist](https://archiveofourown.org/users/noxelementalist/gifts).



“Watching the news?” Raven asked.

“No,” Charles said, turning it off. He shifted to face her, pretending not to notice the knowing look on her face. Her presence was more important, coming as it did without warning or promise.

“When did you get back?” he asked. Are you staying, he wanted to know, but maybe it was more convincing to treat that like a given. “How long will you stay? You know all the girls worship you, and we're short a voice of reason without Storm.”

She didn't move from the doorway, but she didn't roll her eyes at him either. “You can't possibly expect me to be a voice of reason around here. Where's your guard dog?”

“Oh, don't start that again; you know it makes him angry,” Charles chided her. “And he'd say your voice is significantly more rational than mine.”

“Well, that's a low bar, isn't it.” She smiled at him, sweet and unexpected, and he raised his eyebrows. He smiled back, but not without trepidation.

“You've come to ask something of me,” he said. “Something you think I won't do? You might have started with Erik; that's what all his people do.”

She laughed, surprising him. “Magneto already has a best man,” she said. “I figure I'm going to have to fight it out with Beast.”

“Best man,” Charles repeated. “Why would you--what does Erik need a best man for?”

“You haven't proposed yet?” she countered. “Charles, I'm disappointed. How long do you think you're going to live, anyway?”

“Ouch!” he complained. But if you couldn't beat them, join them, and it was a perfect opening. “Out of curiosity, how long do you think you're going to live?”

“Not much longer if Beast keeps writing me angst-filled epistles about your doomed romance with Magneto,” she retorted. “Why are you not engaged yet? Are you waiting for the sun to burn out?”

“Engaged?” Charles repeated. “To whom? Surely you don't mean Erik.”

“Surely I don't mean Erik,” she mimicked, but not with his voice because she knew he thought that was brilliant. “Honestly, Charles. Marry the man, for all our sakes. We're the ones who have to watch you grow old together.”

“I hardly see how that's an argument,” he said. “I have to watch you and Hank not grow old together, and that's far more disconcerting.”

“When will you let that go?” she demanded. “We were high school sweethearts, not a romance for the ages.”

“Oh, please,” he said. “You’re friends with benefits at the very least, and that wasn’t even my point. I’m much more interested in the not growing old part. Unless you want me involved in your love life, which frankly, even then I’d rather not.”

“Charles.” The look she gave him was more serious than he’d expected, given her willingness to be distracted. “You’ve been wearing his ring for two decades now. Don’t make everything mean less because you’re too afraid to ask for more.”

He carefully didn’t move. “If there’s one thing Erik has never been interested in,” he said, “it’s state sanction. They’re human laws, my dear. Irrelevant to our situation.”

“You know marriage equality isn’t just about gay rights,” she said. “Don’t you? It’s mutant rights too. You can’t tell me you haven’t been out there fighting the good fight.”

“I know what the law says,” he told her. “And I’m certain Erik doesn’t care. We came to terms with who we are a long time ago. This changes nothing.”

“This changes everything,” she countered. “You’ve spent your lives fighting for exactly what’s happening, right now. If you’re not a part of it, what are you saying? Equality is only for the young? If you fight long enough, eventually it doesn’t matter anymore? You just stop caring?”

“Of course we don’t stop caring,” he said, but she wasn’t done.

“You’re saying it’s not important,” she told him. “By ignoring the law, you’re sending a message that you don’t need it, that it wasn’t important to you after all. That if people love each other enough, it doesn’t matter whether they’re allowed to get married or not. Is that what you want your students to think?”

“For goodness’ sake, Mystique.” Erik sounded exasperated, and his thoughts were frayed around the edges. Charles had been absently aware of his progress through the foyer, but he hadn’t expected him to stop. “Anyone would think it’s you he isn’t proposing to.”

“I wasn’t aware I was expected to propose!” Charles protested.

“I knew he was bad at it,” she said, claiming a chair on the other side of the desk, “but I didn’t think he’d be this bad. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Thanks very much,” Charles said indignantly, and then at least half-regretted it. He’d like to know the answer to that too. “Why are you here, exactly?”

“I think we’re all asking ourselves that question right now,” she replied. “It’s not that difficult, Charles. Repeat after me: Magneto, will you marry me? Or whatever you’d say. Erik darling, will you marry me, I suppose.”

“We hardly need your supervision,” Erik said.

She put one foot on Charles’ desk and then the other, legs crossed at the ankles, and stared at him. “Clearly nothing’s going to change without it,” she said. “Go on.”

“I am sorry,” Charles offered, watching the two of them glare at each other. “I didn’t realize it would be… something you wanted.”

“I didn’t--” Erik glanced at him and stopped, frowning. “It isn’t a matter of…”

There wasn’t anything about his thoughts coherent enough to read, and finally he gave up and glared at Raven again. “Must we do this in front of you?”

“Ugh,” she said, swinging her feet down to the floor. “Fine. But if you’re not engaged by supper, I can’t promise there won’t be drastic intervention in the dining room.”

Charles didn’t mean to stop her, but ultimately he couldn’t resist. “Tell Hank to mind his own business,” he called after her.

She scoffed. “Better you than me,” she replied as she headed out the door.

She didn't close it behind her, but there was no reason to keep this declaration private. “I've considered myself your husband for a long time,” he told Erik. “Since we reopened the school. If I'd known you wanted this, I'd have asked you to marry me immediately.”

Erik didn’t look at the door, but his voice was quiet when he said, “I've wanted too many things I can't have. I saw no reason to add this to the list.”

All Charles heard was  _ I want this,  _ and he smiled. “I hope you don’t expect me to get down on the ground,” he said.

“Why you ever thought you should be the one on your knees is beyond me,” Erik replied. He made taking a knee look more graceful than anyone his age had a right to, as far as Charles was concerned. Some people just couldn’t resist showing off.

“Professor Charles Francis Xavier,” Erik said, reaching for his left hand. “Will you marry me?”

There had only ever been one answer to that question, and it was there in the ring he still wore. The one Erik had made for him decades ago. “Yes,” Charles told him. “Of course I will.”

Erik ran his thumb over the ring, his thoughts sharply and reassuringly focused at last. “I suppose you’ll want a new ring,” he muttered.

It made Charles laugh. “What a chore for you,” he teased. “Do you know, I’ve got to choose a best man? Apparently Mystique’s planning to fight it out with Hank.”

Erik raised his eyebrows, but he didn’t let go of Charles’ hand. “Did no one explain to her the typically masculine nature of the role?”

“Really, Erik,” Charles chided him. “It’s the twenty-first century.”

“And I don’t want Beast anywhere near me when I’m legally given your hand in marriage,” Erik said. “Excellent point. Mystique it is.”

Charles decided not to mention that he thought Hank might officiate. “I suppose you’ll have Peter.”

“If we can make him stand still long enough,” Erik said. “You know they’ll all want to be a part of this. Would you consider eloping?”

“I’m afraid that would defeat the purpose,” Charles said with a smile. “It’s a nice thought, though, isn’t it.”

“A honeymoon, then,” Erik said. “We’re owed that, at least.”

“Oh, that’s a splendid idea,” Charles agreed. “Where shall we go?”

Erik grimaced, squeezing his hand and giving a rueful shake of his head at the same time. “That may depend,” he said. “On whether or not I’m able to get up off of this floor.”

“Ah,” Charles said, careful not to smile. “The real reason we didn’t do this before.”

“I can already see it featuring prominently in the interviews,” Erik said with a sigh.

It did, after all. It made them more relatable, Charles said. Raven said it made them seem like the ceremony of their actions mattered, which Charles was sure she meant in a positive way. Peter said it made them look old.

Erik said he’d do it again if he had to, and that was really all that mattered.


End file.
